Brothers in Baltimore
by puppypants
Summary: Tag to "Baltimore" with a twist. What if Tony and Tim met in Baltimore under disturbing circumstances?
1. Chapter 1

Tony was careful to maneuver the string of melting cheese with his mouth hanging over the edge of the pizza slice as he took a large bite but at the same time keeping his fully-committed vigil on the building across the street.

"I can't believe you forgot sausage. Aren't you Italian?" Danny guzzled a large swallow of root beer then burped long and loud.

"Hey! You're gonna blow our cover...or, if not that… wake the dead."

"We really need to start eating better. All these late night pizzas we order at stakeouts are going to eventually catch up with us."

Tony glanced towards his partner's gut, slightly hanging over his belt buckle. "Danny…If you weren't here…you'd be home nukin' a 'Hungry Man' TV dinner then drinking it down with a beer. But, as for me….I have no need to worry. As soon as I get home tonight, I'll get all the exercise I need to work off this pizza and then some…" Tony smiled as he chewed.

"Still seeing Wendy, huh? This is pretty serious…you guys have been together for a while now. Does she know about your tube sock fetish, yet?"

Tony smugly smiled, not making eye contact with his partner. "You kiddin'? I think that's what she loves most about me. "

"Huh?"

"I stopped by her place last night to pick her up, ya know, to go to dinner. I was waiting in her living room when she walks in wearing nothing but…clean, white tube…socks. The kind with blue stripes at the top. My favorite color." Tony wagged his eyebrows for his friend.

Danny laughed out loud. "Tube socks? I gotta admit…That's a strange image…but, still nice, all the same."

"Oh yeah…It was nice." Tony took another bite, his eyes still glued on the building.

"So, I take it you never made it to dinner." Danny said.

"Needless to say…No. We never made it. Plus…Well...I ended up popping the question to her." Tony felt his face warm.  
>"Wait, what?! You didn't!" Danny smiled at Tony wholeheartedly, joyfully slapping him on the back. "I'll be damned. Tube socks…Who ever thought they could help in making a profound deal sealer."<p>

Tony chuckled, quietly, "Well...she always smells really pretty, too." Danny was in awe to see the embarrassment in his friend's face, an emotion Tony rarely exhibited.

"I never thought in a million years, my partner, Anthony DiNozzo, would some day get hitched for good." Tony winked at him.

They sat in the car for the next five minutes in silence enjoying their dinner and wallowing in Tony's good news. Tony grabbed a napkin off the dashboard and wiped pizza sauce off the corners of his mouth. He then used it to wipe his forehead."Shit. It's hot tonight."

"Well, hell. That pizza didn't help. It's gotta be at least ninety five degrees out there." Said Danny.  
>"And in here. It sure is frustrating when we have a perfectly good air conditioner sitting right there in front of us but we can't use it."<p>

"Comes with the job, my friend."  
>"Crappy stakeouts…" Mumbled Tony grabbing the binoculars off the dash as the door of the building opened. He focused the binoculars as he peered through the eyepiece towards the front steps to the entrance of the building.<p>

"See anything important?" Asked Danny.  
>"No. It's not our man." Tony tossed the binoculars on the seat beside him when he heard the screech of tires from up the street heading in their direction. Light from the headlights filled their car, blinding them momentarily. Danny withdrew his weapon.<p>

"You think that, that's necessary? Probably just some kids drag racing." Said Tony.  
>"You can never be too sure."<p>

A black Sedan neared them, its speed increasing when the back door closest to them flew open and a body was pushed out to the street without hesitation. Wide mouthed, Tony placed his hand on his gun still tucked in his holster as he met his partner's gaze just before they exited the car running straight to the fallen person.

A man, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, lay face down, motionless. Tony was the first to reach him, grabbing the man's side to roll him onto his back. One of the first things he noticed was the blood that covered his shirt. "Shit. He's just a kid."  
>"Is he alive?" Danny kept guard over his partner and the vic, scanning the street as he watched the car speed away from them.<p>

"Barely." Tony lifted the kid's shirt, pressing on his belly as he dialed his cellphone for an ambulance. Tony looked up at Danny. "He's been stabbed in the stomach. He's gonna bleed out if the ambulance-" Tony was connected to dispatch and immediately requested an ambulance. "We have a male down; on the corner of Lexington and Ford. Looks like multiple stab wounds to the abdomen and severe contusions covering his body. We need assistance, pronto! I mean it, this kid doesn't look like he's got much more fight in him…he was thrown from a moving vehicle and he's losing a lot of blood...fast!" Tony disconnected then sighed, heavily. "Dammit!"

Danny was calling for backup, still standing over him. He holstered his weapon then placed a gentle hand on Tony's shoulder. "What? Do you know him or something?" Tony wasn't about to tell his partner that the kid's baby face had already got to him and in a strange way, it _**did **_feel like he knew him. The boy had the appearance of innocence and all that was good in the world. He wore a clean-cut, close-cropped haircut and sported some deep-red, round cheeks. His sweet face was the last he'd expect to see in this dismal section of the city at this time of hour.

"No, I don't. But something tells me he doesn't deserve to be here."

"Aaahhh, he's probably just another kid involved with drugs." Said Danny.  
>"Nah. I don't think so." Tony was kneeling by his side, still trying to slow the flow of blood from his wound while checking his vitals.<p>

Tony and Danny's heads shot up when they distinctly heard the reoccurring screech of tires growing in the distance.

"Damn. They're coming back." Said Danny.

Within the next moment Tony could swear he felt a bullet whiz by his head. "They're firing at us!"

"Get down!" Danny pushed down on Tony's back. "They're headed right towards us!"

"What do I do with the kid? He might have a spinal injury."

"I dunno, leave him. He'll be fine, but we gotta take cover, they'll be on top of us in seconds!" Danny was crouched, impatient to leave his partner's side for safety.

Tony was shocked with Danny's answer. "I'm not leaving him here! They'll run him over!" Tony was now glaring at him, waiting for a better answer.

"Then, I dunno...Drag him by his ankles to the side of the road. "Over there-" He pointed to a bench. "I'll cover you as you move him!"

Tony knew taking cover in different refuges was their best strategy. Their assailants would be fired upon by both sides and they could do more damage to their car.

Danny was already making his way to their own car for cover as he yelled instructions to Tony. "Try to keep him as immobile as possible, don't jostle his neck or back! The important thing is to keep him alive, right? Hurry, they're close!" Tony was confused why Danny wasn't helping him move the kid. He looked up and was blinded briefly by the oncoming car's headlights and almost panicked. He didn't realize how fast they were drawing upon them.

The victim was dead weight as Tony used every ounce of strength to pull him quickly to a spot, remotely safe, behind a cement, sidewalk bench, hoping it would offer 'some' protection. He swallowed hard when his dinner repeated on him as he exerted himself. He almost tripped on his feet as he ran backwards, dragging the kid. "Can't you help me out a little bit, junior?" He managed to get him behind the bench then lay in front of him on his side, protecting him like a human shield.

Danny had taken cover behind their car and was shooting at their assailants in rapid fire. Tony took aim and blew out their back windshield. More shots were fired through a crack in the rear passenger window of the assailants' vehicle as they passed.

Tony grunted when he felt a shot hit his arm and burn like fire, instantly. The car continued past them without much of a chance that they'd be back with the police and ambulance sirens filling the hot, muggy air, now heard within close proximity.

"Are you okay to stay here with him, Tony? I should follow them in pursuit-"

Tony was holding his injured arm, still laying on the ground. "Nah. They blew out one of our tires, you're stuck." He jutted his jaw towards the front end of their car.

Danny sighed, his shoulders slumping as he approached Tony. His step quickened when he saw the blood on Tony's arm, "Ahhh, Damn! You're hit?" He placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, trying to get a better look.

"Just a graze. I'll be okay." He waved him off.

"Did you get the license?" Tony asked Danny.

"Nah. Too dark. But we know the make and model..."

Tony frowned at him then rolled to face the victim. Tony rose into a crouched position next to him as he winced from the pain in his arm. He looked over the kid...his blood was everywhere now; staining his torso and hands. He admired his effort; holding his own stomach, trying to stop the flow of blood from his wound. "You still with me kid?"

Tony startled when the kid reached up and grabbed Tony's wounded arm, squeezing wear the slug had grazed it. He cracked his green eyes open, "Uh...Yeah, uh, thanks for...that." His voice was weak and raspy. His head rolled to the side then dropped, he was unconscious. A fleeting thought made Tony hesitate, an image...blood brothers. A man swearing to treat another like a brother, sometimes with the ceremonial melding of each other's blood.

"Stay with me!" Tony had pressure on his belly, as he patted his face to rouse him. He could hear the ambulance coming. "Hang on. Help is here!"

Danny rummaged through the fallen man's pockets for ID, finding his wallet. "Holy crap."  
>"What?" Said Tony.<p>

Danny was staring at the kid, wide-eyed then looked at Tony."Says here his name is...Timothy McGee. I'm not sure, but I think he's my...cousin."


	2. Chapter 2

Yeah, I know. Took a while to update, but sorry; (have to use the four-letter word here, but, …I was BUSY.) Just a warning, if you don't like swearing, there is swearing.

The ambulance stopped with a screech, only feet away from where Tony was crouched over Timothy, still applying pressure to the area on his stomach that was too bloody to detect where exactly the wound was. The headlights of the vehicle were blinding but extinguished just before he heard the doors open, the streetlights supplying ample light. Tony's heart rate sped up as he watched the paramedics barrel out of the vehicle, their steps loud on the pavement. They expertly began to assess the situation as Tony stood by, eagerly blurting out what little information he knew about their current patient.

"Uh…He has stab wounds to the abdomen; he was thrown from a moving vehicle-"  
>"This will be a scoop-and-go, Jack! Name?" yelled one of the EMTs; he was middle-aged with salt and pepper hair. He continued his assessments without even glancing towards Tony, kneeling beside Timothy while he checked his airway. "Airway…Clear! I said name...detectives?!" Salt and pepper looked from Tony to Danny then back to Tony again.<p>

Tony detected his obvious impatience and couldn't blame him. He didn't know why he felt so frazzled. He stepped closer, hovering over them as he stuttered, unable to keep up with their admirable speed and competence. "Uh…His name is Timothy!"

"Timothy? Can you hear me?" Salt and pepper patted Timothy's cheek.

Danny stood next to Tony and nudged him. "Well…It's Timmy…actually. At least that was what we called him when he was six. That was the last time I've seen him. We were at one of our other cousin's, uh…Melinda's birthday-"

Tony watched Jack; keenly focused on the stethoscope against Timothy's chest, listening.

Danny continued, "-party. Her mom had rented a bounce house, and-"

"Heart rate, 120!"

"I'm much older than Timmy but I went in the house anyway." Tony had barely been listening to his partner but when he realized he was babbling in his ear he glared at him with enough anger in his eyes to persuade him to abruptly stop.

Tony spoke to the backs of the paramedics, "I feel that we all should agree on calling him, Tim. He's much older than six-"

"Probably about eighteen, nineteen now." agreed Danny. "But, I don't really know."

Tony cautiously knelt by one of the paramedics, not wanting to interfere with his work. "Will he be okay?" The medics continued to tune him out as they followed through with their process.

The other paramedic, Jack, an older man with a head-full of thick, snowy-colored hair began to lift Tim's stretcher. "Good chance he could go into hypovolemic shock, let's jet!"

Salt and Pepper had already started an IV. "I agree."

Tony grabbed Salt and Pepper's arm, "I said…Will he be okay?"

The paramedic glanced at Tony's wounded arm. "You were shot?"

"Yeah…But-"  
>"Come with us." The paramedic resumed past him to load Tim into the ambulance.<p>

Tony wanted to protest and explain that his partner could take him to the hospital; they'd be right behind them. Then there was the fact it'd be crowded in the ambulance, they usually weren't meant for two patients; plus, the kid could possibly die during the trip. Tony didn't think he had the cojones to handle that one.

But deep down he wanted to stay with him. Tony caught one more glimpse of Tim's young…lifeless face as salt and pepper held the door open for him. He didn't hesitate. He snatched Tim's wallet from Danny's hand then climbed in and took a seat on a gurney across from the kid. As the doors shut, the ambulance took off. Tony could see Danny's confused expression through the doors' windows, standing on the sidewalk, dumbfounded. He kept his eyes on him till he was no longer in sight.

An EMT sat in the front driving allowing salt and pepper and Jack to work on Tim. Jack was now cutting off Tim's shirt. Tony saw him hesitate then lean in closer, studying the stab wound. "Well…Hell. Stan. Look at this."

"What! What is it?" asked Tony as he crowded the two medics.

Salt and pepper who was actually Stan, though Tony preferred salt and pepper, gaped, momentarily to where Jack was referring to. He then glanced towards Tony. "Did one of you cops place this here?"

Under all the sticky, red blood was a… credit card? "Why's that there?" asked Tony.  
>"The kid must have put it there to help slow the bleeding." Jack turned to address Tony as he affixed a clean bandage over the card to Tim's abdomen. "It's a first aide tactic in sealing a wound. It works better with tape but he clearly didn't have any. He's one resourceful, smart kid…and my guess is, he really wants to live." Tony eyed Tim's wallet in his hand. That would explain the surface's tackiness.<p>

"His pulse is dropping!" Stan yelled.

"Man, he lost a lot of blood. And we're almost all out of any reserves."  
>Tony was digging through Tim's wallet. "He held up a Red Cross Donor ID card. "His blood type is A! Do you have anymore A, Jack?"<p>

Jack's brick wall exterior dropped for a moment as he cracked a smile at Tony. Tony blushed when he realized through Jack's smile how eager he must look, making him feel…Dumb. Tony frowned when the man's smile quickly vanished.

"Uh…No sorry." Jack sighed, "Hey…Kid. What type are you?"

Tony didn't hear Jack, as he was deep in thought, looking at Tim. He felt the man's eyes on him and looked up; a sinking feeling filled his stomach that didn't stop till it reached his feet. "Uh…Me?" he gulped.  
>"Yeah…You know…Blood." Stan supported his partner's question by waving a hand sarcastically over Tim's bloody torso to emphasize his point.<p>

"O. I'm…Uh, O. Blood type O. Yes…O. That's me." Tony weakly smiled; knowing he was a universal blood donor. His blood type could be given to anyone, with any blood type. He grew extremely nervous…

"He's in V fib, Stan." said Jack.

"Shit." Tony and Stan mumbled in unison. Tony felt bad he hesitated for even the one moment; agonizing if he should donate his precious blood to the dying man as Jack was already releasing the straps from around Tim's chest then preparing the paddles.

"What exactly is V fib, Jack?" Tony's eyes widened, almost falling off his gurney, getting closer to Tim and not liking the looks of where this was all going.

"It's his heart-"  
>"I'll do it! I'll donate my blood!" Tony raised his hand, then waved it back and forth.<br>"Clear!" Tim's body strained and arched against the shock of the paddles. All three men held their breath, viewing the monitor. The return of a beep initiated a united sigh.

"Okay, he's back with us for now." said Stan.

"We don't usually do this…tapping blood from a stranger." said Jack, staring at Stan, "But if we don't he's gonna die."

Tony was confident now that Tim's heartbeat had returned. He looked at it as a second chance to redeem himself. "I don't usually do this either but, can I lay down for this? I'm liable to…Uh, faint." Tony was already lying back, earnestly holding out his exposed arm towards the paramedics, his eyes shut tight.

"Okay." Jack started prepping Tony for the transfusion, tying a tube around his arm. "Tell me what you know about this case so far."

Tony had the feeling Jack was trying to distract him, picking up on his uncertainty. "We were on a stakeout…car drove by and dumped him off on the street. Noticed the blood…lifted his shirt and saw the stab wounds-"  
>"Wound. Just one."<br>"Oh." Tony's eyes widened when a needle appeared within his view. "Holy, sweet mother of-" Tony's eyes rolled back inside his head.

"Uh…Oops." Jack looked at Stan, concerned.

"Well, whatdya do now, Jack? What happened to the poor guy?"

"It was the sight of the needle."

"Not a fan from the looks of it." Stan had to smile. "He's a good guy to put himself out there like that for a complete stranger being that afraid of needles."

"It's weird…But somethin' tells me this won't be a onetime encounter for these two."  
>Stan looked at Jack, his brows furrowed but kept his main focus on Tim, monitoring his vitals. He shrugged, "You always have been intuitive, Jack."<p>

***  
>Tony was sitting on a table in an examination room in the emergency room. He stared at an opposite wall, dazed and deep in thought. He was shirtless, waiting for the nurse to return with a certain bandage size. At first, she had assured him he would only need about four stitches, but the thought of another needle caused him to beg for her to just apply a butterfly bandage. "Okay, sweetie." The nurse had patted his cheek. "Just wait right here while I go get some more. This room is out of them. Be right back, darling." He blinked his eyes with charm, knowing his long eyelashes had played their part well.<p>

Now Tony had quiet time to think and when he replayed what had happened, he felt that it had all been a vivid, crazy-ass dream; like he was caught up in some, strange parallel universe. The paramedics were, no doubt, professional, moving so fast that he had felt dizzy and disconnected; unable to keep up with their questions then the consequential actions they performed in front of him, to save Tim, were astounding; he thought for sure the kid was a goner. Just for the fact there had been so much blood.

Tony thought about the last couple of hours; the stakeout and the conversation with Danny. Witnessing the kid being thrown from the car and Danny's strange reaction to the whole incident then the shock to learn he was Danny's cousin. They had lost Tim on the ride to the hospital but when Tony woke, here in the hospital, Jack had stopped by to tell him Tim was stable, and his blood had increased Tim's chances for survival. Jack had lightly punched his arm and told him he had done a good thing and he was proud of him. Tony was tongue-tied and didn't answer but just smiled as Jack walked through the exit, heading back out into the night.

As Tony watched Jack leave, that particular "sticky note" that he had filed away earlier now reappeared. Now, they were officially blood brothers…Or did it count if Tim was now carrying his blood and not the other way around? Nah…their lives were now bonded…a long-lasting agreement sealed with blood. He pressed his lips together, tensely, knowing he couldn't even say that about Danny. How could he feel closer to this kid than he did to his own partner?

Speaking of the devil, Danny poked his redhead in through the doorway, "Yoa! Pyzano! Do you get to keep the arm?" He sauntered in, giving Tony a playful shove on his uninjured arm. Tony tried to cover his grimace, hating whenever his partner did the Italian accent; he looked ridiculous.

"Hey watch it! That shoulder isn't much better. I had to give blood from that arm!"  
>"Really? My little cousin was all tanked out?"<br>Tony shook his head with mild disgust. Was he really that callous toward his own family? "How is he?"  
>Danny just shrugged, "How should I know? I was checking on you first."<br>"What's with you? I thought my family was messed up…But you didn't even know your own cousin till you read his id?"  
>"His father is an asshole. I just figure he must be one, too. I never kept in touch. Believe me…That little six-year-old has grown. He looks really different. Same face, though."<p>

"I'd bet you my entire Cary Grant DVD collection you're wrong about that. I bet you he's a good guy-"  
>A man with dark hair with silver edges and strong blue eyes poked his head into Tony's room.<p>

"Detectives DiNozzo and Price?" He kept his gaze on Tony, his expression filled with intrigue, confusing Tony.

"Uh…Yeah. Do I know you?" asked Tony.  
>The older man flashed his credentials, "NCIS. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Gibbs held out a hand as they all greeted one another. He pocketed his badge as he filled them in. "I'm investigating the kid that was brought in, Timothy McGee. I'm here to determine if this an NCIS case-"<p>

"NCIS?" asked Danny. "What? Is Timmy Navy?"

"Would you stop calling him, Timmy? He's not six anymore!" Tony took a deep, exasperated breath, as Gibbs and Danny raised their eye brows sharing a glance.  
>Gibbs ignored Tony's frustration, his voice remaining low and calm. "He was a member of our internship program. He just completed it and was living in DC, temporarily. The hospital called me, said I was the closest person they could get. He has no family in the area."<br>"Wait. But, couldn't they just come and see him? He did almost die!" said Tony.

"Apparently not. When they called his father, he claimed he was too busy with work….Or something to that affect. His mother is out of the country."

Danny mumbled towards Tony, "See? What did I tell you; asshole." Tony nudged his partner, for what Gibbs' probably considered a vague, rude comment directed towards himself. Danny shrugged looking at Gibbs, "Sorry. I'm Timmy's…Uh, I mean, Tim's cousin. I remember his father being a real jerk."  
>"Wait. You're his cousin? Don't you think that odd that he was stabbed and deposited right in front of your stakeout?" asked Gibbs.<p>

"Oh. So you've been briefed. No. I think it's just one of those weird coincidences-" said Danny.  
>"I don't believe in coincidences."<br>Danny gulped, speechless and Tony smirked.

"So, how did the hospital get your name?" asked Tony.

Gibbs smiled, "Well, it's funny. Tim did such a good job with the internship I wanted to give him something. We have these stupid fake certificates we use whenever we're on a case when kids are involved; we reward them for their bravery. I gave one to Tim and he must have folded it up and kept it in his wallet." The Special Agent shrugged, "I don't usually take a liking to the interns but Tim made a mark. So, I guess I wanted to check up on him, too… while I'm here."

"Really? You don't seem like the warm, fuzzy type." said Tony.

"You'll have to excuse my partner, Special Agent Gibbs. Detective DiNozzo had to front Tim some of his blood and I think they sucked it from his brain instead of his arm."

Tony had his gaze fixed on Gibbs but the man's steely stare was not showing offensiveness but appreciation. He held out his hand. "Thanks, DiNozzo. I'm sure Tim will be grateful when he hears that."

A warm smile spread over Tony's lips as he grasped the man's warm, calloused hand, "I believe that he will." Tony made sure to sneer at Danny.

"But wait," Tony's eyes squinted, "You're based in Washington, what's Tim doing in Baltimore?"

"That's why I'm here. To find out."


	3. Chapter 3

Quick A/N: I just want to thank Cyndie for the inspiration to post this today; thanks for your **spectacular** reviews over on AO3; they really helped get me moving.

Tony poked his head around the corner into the Intensive care unit and realized he would have to enter the large, open, area in order to locate Tim hidden away in one of the rooms that circled the nurses' station as they closely monitored all their patients.

His eyes roamed over the orchestrated bustle of the nurses as they masterfully weaved and zigzagged within perfect unison of each other, entering and exiting patients' rooms with trays and charts and stacks of folded sheets. Patients' visitors were mindful of their actions as they stayed out of their way. Tony's gaze stopped short and held onto a man dressed in a dark, blue gym suit lurking on the other side of the nurses' desk. He made eye contact with the brown-haired man until the stranger raised a folded newspaper in front of his face, demonstrating deep concentration on an article. Tony felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise but dismissed it when he saw the man enter another patient's room. A nurse distracted Tony when she placed a warm hand on his arm.

"Who are you looking for sweetie?"  
>"Uh, Tim…Timothy McGee; a stab wound victim-"<p>

"Oh, are you here to visit?"  
>"Uh…Yeah-"<p>

"All of a sudden he seems to be popular here; we were worried that he wasn't going to get any visitors…He's so young. You would think at least a parent would be by." The short, blonde nurse pointed to a room to Tony's left. "A man is in with him right now; room four."  
>Tony flashed her a toothy grin then proceeded towards the open door to Tim's room. He took a deep breath then craned his neck around the doorway. Gibbs was standing over Tim, tousling his hair and quietly speaking, low enough that Tony had no idea what he was saying. He was astonished to see that Tim was even awake, nevertheless, talking. But, his eyes were heavy; as he struggled to focus. Tony could see the determination in Tim as he tried to answer Special Agent Gibbs, coherently but couldn't quite master the articulation he needed. Within a few more seconds the kid was out cold and Gibbs remained, watching over him. Tony felt like an intruder; as if he walked in on a private moment between a father and a son. He admired their closeness and desired a part of it; lacking that in his own relationship with his own father. He entered as he cleared his throat, startling Gibbs and gaining his attention.<p>

"He woke for about two minutes but I don't think he will remember me being here."  
>"I dunno…I think he will." Tony walked into the room as he spoke, "As exhausted that he is, I could tell he admires you."<p>

"Well…I'm just glad he's going to be okay."  
>"Does he remember anything?" asked Tony.<p>

"Nah. Not yet. He's too out of it. That was a close one. If you hadn't been there-" Gibbs looked at Tony directly. "I heard through the grapevine a complete replay of all the risks that you took to save him. You really made an effort and put your life on the line." Gibbs reached out and squeezed Tony's shoulder then released his grip and sighed. "Can you tell me why you're here and his cousin isn't?"

Tony shrugged, slowly shaking his head detecting accusation and resentment towards Danny in the man's voice. "He had to leave…Something about a class he signed up for-"

"Class?"  
>"He enrolled in some night courses at the community college-"<br>"Really? He doesn't strike me as the academic type."  
>"Well…"<p>

"Hey. I know he's your partner and all…But, something seems hinky to me." Gibbs mumbled.  
>"Uhhh…Hinky?"<br>Gibbs added a friendly, impatient shrug with a nod, a gesture expressing the notion that Tony should know what the term meant. "Yeah…You know. Have you noticed any strange behavior from your partner, lately?"  
>"I dunno, I, I can't remember-" Tony stuttered, hesitant to agree with Gibbs' suspicions that he felt were spot on. Many times, at the precinct, Danny would tell Tony he was taking a trip to the head only to find him minutes later in the hall, huddled in a corner on his cell. Or the time he took off for a few days but refused to volunteer any details to where he had gone.<p>

"I…Uh…Well-"  
>"Rule 5. Keep your eyes open."<p>

"Five? Is there many more?"

"Yeah, but, I gotta go." Gibbs handed Tony his card. "Keep in touch." Gibbs placed a hand on his shoulder then squeezed. Tony was touched with the sincerity in the older man's look and somewhat shocked when he felt a strong sting behind his eyes.

"I'll be back. You watch your back and if you see anyone lurking-"  
>Tony silently gasped when the word 'hinky' came to mind, "There was a man…but he did go into another patient's room about a minute ago-"<p>

"Blue jumpsuit?"

Tony was unable to hide his admiration for the navy cop and the feeling they were on the same wavelength; a quick connection to the man. Tony answered with a breathy, "Yeah." as he grinned.

Gibbs winked, "I'll make a sweep of all the floors on my way out."

Tony shrugged, "It's probably nuthin'-"

"Rule 35. Always watch the watchers."

"Thirty-five? Should I be writing these down? How many do you have?" Tony talked to the man's back as he left the room.  
>"Enough." Gibbs called back over his shoulder<p>

"Hmmphf." Tony pulled up a chair to Tim's bed then sat at the edge of the seat, hovering over the patient as he glanced over his still form noting the tubes, bandages and bruises and cuts that covered his body. He felt an aching twinge in his chest that when he rubbed would not subside. But…Under the signs of trauma were his features…filled-out, round face, full bottom lip and short-cropped, dirty-blonde hair. Tony wondered over the crease that developed between his thick eyebrows conveying frustration. Tony desired the answer to ease his unconscious thoughts, "I hope…" The next word caught in his throat then released a heavy breathe. "I hope you're going to be okay." He whispered.

A nurse entered the room, patting his back as she passed, "He'll be fine. Now, don't you mind me. I just have to change his IV."

"It's okay. He doesn't have much to say anyway." said Tony.  
>She switched the full bag of saline for the empty one. "You know, feel free to talk to him all you want. We believe they can hear us while they're unconscious and hearing your voice will quicken their healing process." Tony looked at Tim's lifeless body. "Really?"<br>"Oh sure. It looks like you have a lot to say to him, as if it's very important and its right on the tip of your tongue. Are you both close? Brothers maybe?"  
>"Uh-"<p>

"I mean, you don't look much alike but I am feeling a deep connection between the two of you."

"That's funny…I just met him tonight. But so far…It has been both memorable and stimulating." Tony answered, rolling his eyes.

The nurse glanced over Tim's injured body then raised her eyebrows. "Well, to say the least."

Tony proceeded to watch as the nurse checked Tim's vitals. When she was finished she fixed his blanket, smoothing it out. She grabbed a corner then wiped the corner of Tim's mouth with it.

"Ahh. A drooler. Me, too. Shows signs of a good, deep sleeper…Wouldn't you say?" asked Tony.

"He is highly-medicated. But, yes…He is resting peacefully for the time being." said the nurse.

Tony could feel his face warm when the nurse winked at him then left the room leaving them alone. He was surprised to feel a bit shy and awkward sitting alone with Tim, even if he was unconscious.

"Uh…Danny would be here but he had a class. Um, I, uh…thought…well." Tony stared at Tim waiting for a reaction. "Maybe if I actually talked coherently, you'd be interested enough to wake up and listen to what I had to say, huh?"  
>Tony hesitated then bounced on his seat excited, "Okay. I got a joke." He stretched his arms then cleared his throat. "This mushroom walks into a bar and sits next to a girl seated at the bar." He leaned over Tim, "With me so far?"<p>

No response.

He sat back down scratching his head. "The mushroom says, 'So. How about me and you hook up?' The girl answers, ' But you're a mushroom.' The mushroom says, "So, what? I'm a real fun… guy?' Tony chuckled. "Get it? Fungai? You see…Mushrooms are fungus or what scientists call-" Tony's eyes widened when he saw a slight smile stretch across Tim's lips. The kid's eyebrows relaxed and the severe crease blocking them smoothed over. Tony couldn't help but smile with pride. "Yeah. I have a feeling me and you should get along, nicely."

"Hey look. I gotta go. But I'm coming back. I have basketball with the guys tomorrow night-" Tony pressed his lips together then looked at the door of Tim's room remembering how the nurse was excited because he was here to visit the kid. "Oh. Uh, never mind. I think it was cancelled this week. So, I'll be by right after work tomorrow, okay?" Tony stood. "And I expect you to be up and at 'em by then, right?" He leaned in close then patted Tim's shoulder, his voice growing serious. "See yah, later kid. Take care."

Tony left the room and waved to a couple nurses that noticed him leaving. He decided to take the stairs and keep his eye out for any lingering 'watchers' as Gibbs had called that man they had both noticed in the blue jumpsuit. He gingerly descended the flights of stairs to the ground floor, going through his head how he would explain his night to Wendy when he got home. He froze when he heard a small cry of anguish then took each flight of stairs by grasping the railings and swinging himself to each landing to get there quicker. After he had covered a few flights he found Gibbs sitting up on the floor near the door to the ground floor lobby. "Gibbs?"

The man moaned, rubbing his head. Tony squatted beside him seeing blood on his right temple. "Blue jumpsuit?" asked Tony.

Gibbs nodded, his eyes closed as he moaned, again.


End file.
